Daily Republican., 1887-10-14
Polly's Biscuit.

bending over, and saw Mr.. McIlysiu,
stand,tg ut her side.
"vhy shouldn't I buy to o.day2" sh,
criei. II have had this hundred dol
lars in gold fer almost q year, Mr.. Mo
ilwsine, trying TO make up my mind
that l wanted most; now my birthday
"a almost here ngaiu, and l am afraid
Gfsndpa will make this do for two
birthdays, II I don't hurry aud spe nd
But Polly's gay little laugh wa,
Checked BY look Of unmisrasablt
compassion In the gentlemsn's q eyes,
The ooior faded little from her bright
young face, but che would not ssh
any quesnons hers In ths crowded
store.
"You may put them back to day, Mr.
Vest" she said to the jeweler L Ii come
again to morrow"
Very we'll, Miss Rutherford" said
The vexed salesman. conoealing mis- dis.
appoin tment, II shall reserve them fol
you.'
Polly lett the tempting store with
Mr.. McIlwAine, and once on the stree,
turned on him q pair o; frank, ques
tiooinR eyes, which he found hard tc
answer.
Paul McIlwaiae was . friend of the
Ra,heriord family; bat not especially
lot little Polly, she was only IS, . mere
child to the hard working lawyer Of 80,
and ono whom he considered ne alto
gether frivolous and empty. Polly was
m only daughter, living with q wild
owed mother In her grandfa.her's ele.
CANT house, and IL she was not SD Al =
ed girl 1t was not the fault OF the dotiu 2
old grandfather, whese idol she had
been from her baby hood.
"What did You mem, Mr.. McIl-
waint?" she asked. presently, 6nding
hat the questioning look brought no
reply. And then seeing how embarrass
Ell he seemed about ans veriug, she said
with sudden fear, "Hsve you been o,
grandpa's since I lef.? Il anything the
mattel?"
'They are all WE'LL" he said, answer
ing the thought which he knew was In
her mind, but something has happened,
Polly, Of course, or 1 would not have
lnteri.red with your purchase"
"Oel tell me. tell me-" said the girl
In an asitated voioe. "Why do you
keep me IN suspeuse?"
"What . blunderer I AM" thought
her companion. "If tell her out here
on the street there will be q scene; but
I'm In for 1t now, and II l dou't tell
her I suppose there will be . scene;
that's the way with these fne young
ladies'"
"It is hard thing to say to you, Pol.
ly, but your grandfather has failed"
"Fai.ed," repeated Polly, vaguely (;
"y on mean that he has lcst hia mon 4y
Is that all2 L. that what you were
afraid TO tell me?"
"That ALI means a great deal more
than you seem to understand" said
Paul McIlwaine, impatientlJ; sit
means loss and grief and dissppoiDs.
msnt and poverty to one Of the best
gentlemen In the world; IL means hard
work to your mother. who has not the
strength for work; TO you"
He stopped, and Polly said quickly,
feeling the tl1ge OF contempt in his
tone:
"Nevsr mind about me; but sea now
how bsd 1t will be; poor grandpa! Mr..
McIlwaipe, does n nust-wiil amy body
elre lose By erandpa's fAilure?"
SIT is too soou to say pCsitively," he
replied, "but think not. 1 think be
has quit business ia tine to leave his
creditors no appreciable loss"
Poliy's head was up now, and her
eyes shining.
"Desr olj grandpa she said, "bless
his heart; ] might have known. But,
or! Pm 80 much Obliged TO yoa for
keeping me from spending my hundred
dollars; 1t was very kind OF you, very ;
don't know how you came to fud me
How long have you known abous poor
grendpa?"
II: only came ont this morning, and
took us ali entirely By surprise. Bui
here We are at your door; good.by, my
dear; II can be- Of service 10 you In an ;
way, Che bad meant to offer her money,
but he was sud denly afraid to speak OF
suoh . thing 70 the spirited looking eirl
before b IN, remember the long init
macy between our families gives me Q
tight to help you"
"Thark you," she said, simply; II
WAS all she bal voics for, and, using
her latcbkey, she let herself into the
house.
"BieBs mtp' Raid the young lawyer,
ss he walked eff, "bnt the girl has
pluck! 1t was very pI city, and entirely
woman y, too, the way che thought oi
others, her grandfather aud the credt.
tors. didn't think little Polly had 1t
in her,"
II he had seen little Polly at this
minute he might not have thought she
had 80 much In her; che had slipped
nCiseles essly into the great handsome
front parlor, and dropped down on one
OF the low cushioned divsns, "all In o
heap" ss the girls cay. For two whole
hours she kept hid in the parlor, nobod y
kno wing she was In the house, and In
that long. silent time, when she heard
only the tinkliuQ of the lit,le bronze
clock, and her own irregular breathing,
something happened to Polly, almost
like what happens to the moth when 1t
comes out OF the cocoon. IL happened
to the Polly that was hid away inside
OF the Polly every bedy knew; and who
shsll ray but this great, startling change
Of fortune was not sent to keep that in
side Polly from hsing smo.hered and
dwarfed by the outside Polly!
When she went 10 find her mother
and grand father 1t was with bright face
aud steady voice.
A few days after tbis Polly brought
up a dsiuty little breakfast to her
m other. who wac quite overcome b.
their disaster, aB was the poor, old
grandfather.
come, mosher," Polly said blithely,
81 made these biscuit, and you've got
TO eat Two. WHAT q good thing 1t wa,
that sou hai that hobby about teachin Z
no how to do things; don't 1t fit In
nicely uow?"
ut was theory OF yonr fathers"
answered the mother, in n depressed
tont; "I promised him when you we're
we baby In long c'o.hes that would
have you laughs ey very thing that women
nan 6 o, and of course, after his death
I felt the more bound to do II. Bat /
dent know why yen should make so
much of 1t now; you can't support
yourself by making biscuits"
IL don't know" said Polly. care
|lsssl,; Il don't know" she repeated
more carr estly, springipg up and walk
~. ,h rnou, as if her mind wera